New COVID Rules In PA Ahead Of Anticipated Hospital Surge
HARRISBURG, PA — Pennsylvania health officials announced "targeted efforts" to control the spread of the coronavirus during a news briefing Tuesday afternoon. Pennsylvania Health Secretary Rachel Levine, during a 1 p.m. briefing, announced additional testing and masking rules.
Levine said the new restrictions are needed ahead of an anticipated hospital surge following the drastic spike in cases.
Anyone who visits Pennsylvania must now get tested within 72 hours before entering the state. Those who do not have their test results upon coming to Pennsylvania or cannot get a test will need to quarantine 14 days, Levine said.
Pennsylvania residents who are traveling must follow the same rules, with the exception of those who commute to work in an adjacent state.
The testing order takes effect on Friday, Nov 20. Full details on the travel testing rules are here.
Additionally, the masking order has been strengthened.
Masks are still required indoors and outdoors but now, when indoors, masks will be required anytime you are with people outside of your household, even when socially distanced. Masks are required inside every indoor facility, including gyms and public transportation.
"Wearing a mask is really one of the simplest steps that we can all take to slow the spread," Levine said. Full details on the updated mask order can be found here.
Levine said colleges and universities are being called on to develop and implement a testing strategy among students.
Levine reiterated Tuesday there are no plans to bring back the red, yellow and green coronavirus phases that were used in the spring.
The developments come as the state and nation deals with a rapid increase in new COVID-19 cases.
The state once again broke a record for its single-day case increase on Tuesday, when 5,900 additional positive cases of COVID-19 were reported. There are currently 2,575 people hospitalized in the state due to COVID-19.
In response to a spike in cases, Philadelphia on Monday announced strict new measures that would be implemented through the New Year.
Among the new restrictions in Philadelphia are a ban on indoor dining, and outdoor dining will be limited to four people from the same household at a table. The number of people at outdoor events will be limited to 10 percent occupancy, or 10 people per 1000 square feet, and a cap on large spaces of no more than 2,000 people, which means no fans at sporting events. Gyms, museums, libraries, arcades, bowling alleys, casinos, and movie and performance theaters will be closed. Plus, there will be a ban on any indoor gatherings of any size in both public and private spaces.
This article originally appeared on the Across Pennsylvania Patch
